All Grown Up
by anarchyisthenewblack
Summary: (continuation of my Miri Levesque story, she's older now, this is a repost of the prior two) Mirabelle Levesque is all grown up. And she's on the road with her family, healing from the end of a rocky relationship, about to face single motherhood. None of this bothers her, but when she meets someone who changes her mind on all that, will dad approve? r&r please? wade x ofc
1. prologue

Introduction:

Just to straighten up a few things here.. Just because my dad is HHH and my adopted mother is Stephanie does not mean I don't go through my bad spots in life.. If you guys are wondering, I did not grow up to become a wrestler. I fell in love with dancing, I do that competitively, while going to college. I'm majoring in design. I tried the wrestling thing, I just..

I couldn't handle it, or so I thought at the time. I didn't have it in me, ultimately.

A quick rundown on my life since the last time we spoke, since I'm pretty sure you're all curious and you want to know what on earth happened to me?

Well, I did wrestle for about 2 years.. I quit because like I said, I couldn't handle it. It didn't help matters any that I fell in love with CM Punk and he also turned on me when the worst of the Paul Hayman side of his career was going on, dumping me on live television. I'm being completely honest here. Besides, after Stephanie enrolled me in a few dance classes when I was a teenager, because I wanted to try them, I realized that for me, dancing was like fighting was for my father, or even Stephanie when she fought.

The dance floor is my home. Or it was.. See, I'd been doing it a while now, and dating a guy I thought was a good guy essentially, named Tyler. And for a while? It looked like this girl might just have her fairytale after all (after a few notorious fails with guys like CM Punk, Seth Rollins..)

But the fairytale turned sour because this last time I went home after about a month or so on the road touring with a competitive dance troupe I'm a part of, I walked in on Tyler with the woman two floors down from my apartment. And I finally took the blinders off. I finally saw him for what he really and truly was. I finally realize that to him? I'd never come first. I'd never be good enough. He'd always take pride in tearing me down and reminding me that I'm 'not good enough' or whatever thing he feels like making me feel, subliminally.

It didn't help matters much, of course, that I'd also just discovered I was approximately a month pregnant. And Ty, well.. He's not someone you want to be a father. I won't say he abused me or anything tragic like that, but once or twice, he's come damn close. And for a while now, any time I'd try to leave, he'd do or say just the right thing to make me stay.. Or he'd scare me completely shitless and threaten me if I did leave.

There is no way in hell my kid is growing up in that. No, if they're not going to have the life I was lucky enough to have as a kid? Then it's going to be me and this baby on board against the whole freaking world for all I really care. Because trusting Ty was the first decision I made on my own, and it killed my dad to let me make it.

Now knowing it was the wrong one? I'm done.

Now I just have to figure out how to tell my dad what's going on in my life.. Maybe he'll have some advice or something, because frankly?

I have not the slightest clue how I'm going to do this without completely making a mess of it. But I already love this baby with all my heart and they're already on my mind constantly. I cannot wait until I hold my little guy (or girl, I'm not gonna be picky) for the first time.

And little did I realize, when I went back to tell my dad what I'd gotten myself into, I was actually doing myself a huge favor in the long run.. But I'm gonna shut up for now, stop spoiling the story for you. Occasionally, I'll butt in and do this from time to time, but not often.. I know you'd rather see and hear it for yourself. And I don't blame you.

Because for every girl there are two great loves in her life..

The first, obviously, is her father and the second.. Well, turning to my father, being the daddy's girl that I am, it helped me to find mine.

* * *

_July 8th, 2013_

"Are we really serious? This passes as a match now, ughh, I can't even.." Mirabelle muttered from the spot she'd been standing in in front of the television in the green room while waiting on her father to come out of the office area with her adoptive mother, Stephanie, her adoptive grandfather, Vince.

"And they're letting the Bellas have mics now? Those two shouldn't be allowed to think, let alone voice their thoughts." Miri continued as she tugged on the competitive dance costume she wore, making sure it at least halfway covered her. This was after all, her father. And she was here to talk to him about something very, very serious.

She was here to explain to him that she was about to willingly become a single mother. Because there was no way in hell she was spending her life being lied to, cheated on, made to feel less than important. And she'd already endured more than a year of it. Tonight, when she found out she was pregnant, she'd bowed out of the competition first, telling her partner in it that she was sorry, she couldn't compete again until next year, and even then it was sketchy.

She wanted this child.

What she didn't want was to deal with the man who'd helped her create said child. Nor did she want to deal with his lies, the way he always made her feel like he could 'do so much better' and screw around on her, thinking she'd never find out because she was on the road a lot with the competitive dance circuit.

The door to the green room opened just as she was pacing it, biting the edge of her thumb, scared to death. This entire thing could go one of two ways, and she'd been running on stress and slight nerves, fear all day long. She'd been feeling a little nauseaous and light headed, so when she turned, she tipped forward a little, was caught quickly by her father who asked quietly ,"You okay, tiny?"

"Yeah dad.. I.. I need to talk to you.. And mom.. And I think you're both gonna want to sit down, shut the door. Not sure if you want dirty laundry being aired in public or not.. Especially not back here." Miri said as she sat down, letting her head stop spinning.

Stephanie, who'd been a mother 3 times now, quickly figured out what might be about to come out of her 'oldest daughter's mouth. "You're pregnant, aren't you?"

Miri paled and then said "H-how'd you guess?"

"For one thing, you're putting on a little bit more weight, finally.. And another, the feeling sick." Stephanie said as Miri's father spoke up and asked calmly, "Where's Ty?"

"That's the thing I came to talk to you about, daddy.. I'm going to raise my baby alone. I'm just.. I'm sick of Ty, he's never really made me feel like anything but second best.. And when I came home from the last series of competitions and found him screwing the girl from the apartment below, in our bed.."

Her father pulled her into a hug and then muttered quietly, "You're gonna be okay, tiny."

"I know, dad. I can do this."

"If anyone can, Miri, it's definitely you. You're probably the strongest woman I know, besides your mom there.. And I think Steph rubbed off on you."

Stephanie nodded, hugging the girl she'd practically helped her husband raise through everything they'd all been through from the time she'd come into their lives until now.

"So do I, dad." Miri nodded as she looked at her parents and then asked, "Nobody's going to ground me or.."

"You're an adult."

"The rule still applies though, Mir.. No dating fighters." her father reminded her as Miri sighed and then shrugging said quietly, "It's not gonna really matter, now is it? Seriously doubting any of these guys are anything more than an overgrown kid anyway."

Her father laughed and then asked, "So does this mean you're gonna be around more, Tiny?"

"Yeah, daddy, it does." Mirabelle sighed as she leaned back in the chair and took a few deep breaths. What was she even sweating this for? She had this completely and totally under control. She was every bit her father's daughter and he'd practically raised her himself - okay, so he had a lot of help, but still.. Until her adoptive mother, he had been her only parent.. And all rebellion aside, all the dumb things she'd done aside.. She liked to think she'd turned out perfectly fine.

"So.. Who exactly told the barbies they were allowed to speak, anyway?" Mirabelle joked as HHH laughed a little and said "Yeah.. You still hate them."

"You can put makeup on and momentarily fix ugly, dad.. But you can't fix stupid.. And the crap they were saying? It's a wonder those two aren't walking around with feet up their ass." Miri joked as she bit her lip then sat quietly for a little while..

The hardest part was out of the way, telling her father.. Now what was she going to do with herself? Because she knew there was no way in hell she'd ever be able to stay in bed or anything..

Maybe she could pitch in, help out with the show somehow?


	2. miri makes an announcement

Miri sat in catering, drinking a bottled water, listening to her Iphone as she hummed along with the song playing currently, picked at a salad that she thought she wanted moments ago, but was now beginning to regret even setting her sights on in all honesty.

A voice from behind her had her turning partially in her seat and she glared openly at her former boyfriend, CM Punk.

"Do you want something, or?" she asked as he looked at her a moment, then sat down. "Yeah.. Just wanted to see if you were alright.. I mean when you left you made it seem as if you were never coming near the WWE again." he asked as he noticed something different about her, something he couldn't quite pick up on..

"Yeah? Well maybe I'm only back to see my dad. Look, if you're only over here to satisfy your curiousity, Phil.. I'd really rather not discuss my personal life with you. You had that right once, you gave it up. And if I were you? I'd beat it now.. Because my dad never really got over you pulling what you did to me on live television.. And frankly, neither did I.." Miri said calmly, a degree of iciness in her voice as she turned away from him so he'd get the hint and move along already.

Inside, she was a literal mix of emotions about seeing him again.. And she realized now that back then when she thought she loved him, when he ripped out her heart on live television, that maybe she hadn't really loved him.. Or at least not as much as she thought that she did then, because seeing him just now hadn't bought back any old pain or any hidden feelings.

She'd always wondered if it would, now she had her answer.. And since she'd told him off, she also had her closure. She sighed to herself as she looked at him and said calmly, "Look. I'm sorry.. It's just.."

"I deserved it.. We can be friends, right?"

"I doubt you're gonna want that, here pretty soon.. Some things are going to come out.. About me.. And you don't wanna get tied up in it.. Your so called reputation and all that." Miri said as she searched the catering area frantically hoping to see Natalya, Layla, anyone but him right now. She was tired of talking to him.

He'd done what he had back then, she'd said what she had about what he'd done back then just now, it was pretty much over for her. She felt nothing towards him, and she wasn't about to be stupid enough to let him close to her again.

She wasn't a girl given to giving many second chances, and frankly, now that she was face to face with him and she'd been on the road with the show, with her family for a week or two now, she'd realized that he might not be as bad as he had been back then, but he still wasn't the guy she wanted in her life..

He'd just walked off when she heard breathing from behind her and looked up to find Brock Lesnar lingering nearby.

"Fuck off, ape. I'll go get my dad's sledgehammer if you don't."

Brock sat down and said calmly, "A little bird told me the dirtiest little secret about you, Mirabelle.. And if you don't want it getting out?"

"Oh it did, did it? This bird.. did it have a bald spot and greasy skin, look sort of like a walrus?" she asked, hiding a smirk as he glared at her then said stiffly, "I can help you, you know.."

"So what's my secret, ape?"

"You're pregnant and the guy dropped you like a hot tamale."

"Wow.. You got it completely ass backwards but damn.. You caught me.. Guess the jig is up, huh?" Miri said as she cleared her throat, stood on the table and cupped her hands around her mouth, making her father groan and start towards Brock Lesnar, growling, ready to kill the guy.

Miri smirked and said "Just wanted to tell all of you. I'm pregnant, and the baby's dad couldn't keep his dick in his pants so I dumped his pathetic ass and guess what? Now I'm going to raise my damn kid, all by my damn self.. Not that it matters or it's anyone's business.. Carry on with your meals now." as she stepped down from the table just in time to step between Brock and her father, smirking up at Brock in amusement.

"Aww.. you gonna go cry now because I took away your so called blackmail? Beat it, Lesnar." Miri grumbled as HHH gave him a shove and Brock shoved back. Miri moved out of the way and Stephanie groaned, running over, calling out for security to pull the two men apart.

Miri walked out of catering, only to have her arm grabbed by someone who stood out of her sight. When she turned around, she playfully clutched at her heart as she saw Layla who pulled her into a hug and then said "You will not be alone.. You have my help and the girls help. We don't need a damn man."

"Never did." Miri said as she sighed and then said quietly, "Sorry I didn't get to tell you guys before that basic announcement. But I know what Heyman will do, and I know that Heyman 9 times out of ten would have 'used it' against my dad and Steph on the show tonight somehow, just to keep this assanine feud going a little bit longer, keep milking it, even when we're all damn sick of it."

Layla laughed and then said "It is so good to have you back, Mir."

"Hey, we'll catch up later. I have to go check in with the medic.. Time for my exam, make sure my little one's healthy. But I'll text you the second I have a picture of our little buggy boo, okay?"

"You bloody better." Layla said as she watched her blonde friend slinking off, laughing to herself. Only Miri would announce something like that, so casually like she had.

What Miri didn't realize is that when she had announced that, she'd been doing the equivalent of throwing blood into a pool full of sharks..

Because she'd managed to catch the attention of quite a few of the single men on the roster when she did what she had, just now..

Including some really, really unlikely ones.


	3. a talk with an old friend

The sounds of HIM [wicked games remake] could be heard blaring from within the green room, where Mirabelle Levesque sat in the middle of the floor, stretching. So she couldn't dance anymore. It didn't mean she was going to sit back idly, let herself get out of shape. Besides, stretching was good, stretching would help her a lot when it came time for her to give birth to her baby.

She stopped to swat at a bead of sweat rolling down the back of her neck and take a sip of water from the water bottle sitting on the table nearby her as she thought about what she'd be facing alone soon. Her hand wandered to her stomach, she wasn't showing much yet, but she knew the baby was in there and she knew she was it's only hope, the sole protector of this little being.

The thought in itself scared the blonde absolutely shitless. She was so scared she'd screw it all up that some nights since discovering she was pregnant and that she'd be raising a child completely alone, she lie in bed all night just imagining all the millions of ways she could mess up her childs life.

When she'd talked to her adoptive mother about this, Stephanie gave her the phone number of her father's old friend, Trish Stratus, who'd sent her some basic yoga tapes and told her that yoga worked wonders for stress and when it came to stretching.

She'd asked about the father, concerned that he wasn't being supportive, but Mirabelle explained firmly she would be raising her child completely and totally alone. Trish of course, congratulated her, made her promise to send pictures.

The yoga was helping her, actually, Mirabelle felt like she was actually doing something that took her mind off of all her worries and all her fears. But of course, Mirabelle had the tendency to overdo things, so when she stood, she quickly grabbed for the wall as she realized she was now dizzy, she'd overdone it just a bit this time.

Before she could grab the wall, however, arms caught her and a male chuckled from behind her as he said quietly, "Whoa.. Easy there. Don't want you falling now do we?"

She turned and smiled, squealing as she hugged her longtime best friend and former boyfriend Randy, who hugged her back and asked, "So.. When do Cena and I get to go and kill this Tyson asshole?"

"Never.. Just leave it alone, please? Look.. I'm done, he's gone, it's water under the bridge.. What about you? How is Alanna?"

"Everything's going great, actually." Randy said as he hugged her again and then pointed to the couch, sitting her down. "Rest."

"You sound like my dad and my grandpa and Uncle Shawn and Shane now." Mirabelle pouted as she looked at Randy, then said calmly, "Probably wasn't the smartest thing I did earlier in catering, huh?"

"Not exactly.. Some of the guys.." Randy said as he smirked then shrugging said "I got your back though."

Miri nodded as they sat in silence for a few minutes. This was the good thing about being friends with Randy, having dated him a short time. There wasn't any pressure or anything, she didn't get this sense that he was trying to get her to like him as she had off of one or two of the other guys since she'd been traveling with her adopted mother and her father.

In a sense, it really took the pressure off her, she didn't feel like she was being bitchy when she politely reminded them she was pregnant, and she was actually not looking for anyone.

"So.. Did you quit dancing?" he asked her as Miri shook her head and then said "Just taking a break. When I get a chance I might try and do some local competitions or something, I don't really know yet. I mean right now, I'm still working on getting my major in design, I'm working on getting a cosmetology license.. I toyed with starting a salon/spa/dancewear line and opening my own little place, have a dance studio out of the back of it."

Randy chuckled and then said with a broad grin, "Yeah, still the same Mir. Trying to take the whole world over at once. But you have to slow down for a little while.. I'm speaking for the kid here as his or her godfather."

"I am, I promise. I'm only doing yoga to take my mind off the stress, give myself something to do. I just feel so damn useless. Gramps refuses to let me do anything because he says 'You have to take it easy, you're carrying a heir."

Randy rolled his eyes and then snickered, mocking Vince a little.

"Hey. He cares.. He's just got an odd way of showing it." Miri joked as she leaned back, squeezed her eyes shut and then said quietly, "The only thing that's driving me nuts really, is thinking I'm going to completely mess this up and this kid will suffer somehow."

"You won't, Mir. I'm gonna go. You rest. And do not watch the matches and get all worked up."

"Yes sir." Mirabelle mocked a salute as she sat there for a few quiet moments, her hand on her stomach, resting. But she couldn't sit still for long. When the diziness passed, she decided to do a few more stretches. Then if she felt tired, she'd nap.

Or she'd go down to her father's office, or her grandpa's office and pester them about doing something, hell anything to help out with the show. It was a family business, was it not?

She didn't like just traveling and not doing anything to contribute, it wasn't her style. Even if it was just commentary here and there.. There had to be something she could do, right?


	4. 3 guys 1 girl

"Finally, some rest." she muttered as she parked her car in front of the hotel they'd be staying in in this town. Popping her trunk, she got out, started grabbing her few bags, shutting the trunk behind her as she went to walk into the building.

About halfway across the parking lot, her suitcase burst and she groaned as she saw her clothing falling out. Stopping, she bent, started shoving what she could get to in front of her back into the bag, and then backtracking to get to the rest.

"Damn it, it could have done this when I got to my room? Maybe not in the dark?" Mirabelle swore as she followed the trail of her jeans, swimsuits, bras and panties back to her car most likely. Along the way, she'd just bent to pick up something, and she stood, straightening as she looked up into the eyes of Wade Barrett who held out one of her lacy bright pink bras, smirking at her.

"This belong to you, doll?"

"Give me that." Miri said as she reached for it. Wade of course, was feeling playful that night, so he dangled it just out of her sight for a moment as he eyed all of her luggage and then asked, "You didn't 'ave one of your father's assistants take all that in?"

"No. I prefer to do things on my own."

He shrugged then said "Too bad." as he took the bag that the zipper had burst on, slung it over his shoulder, joking, "I'm thinking.. Red is my color, yes?"

"Just no.." Miri joked back as she walked with him towards the hotel again, getting into line at the check out desk. And then she remembered he hadn't handed her the bra back yet. Popping his arm she held out her hand and he looked around, winked and slid the bra into her hand, before walking off.

"Wot the ruddy hell was tat?" Drew asked in anger as Wade shrugged and said "Not my bloody fault you had your chance and you didn't take it, McIntyre. It's every man for himself, remember?"

"Ah'll kill yah." Drew growled to himself as he added, "Hope yah know yah behaved like an arse just now."

"And you'd have done so much better?" Wade asked, a calm smirk on his face as he looked from Drew, over to the leggy blonde standing in line at the check in .

Drew smirked, shoved past his friend, and in this case, competitor, walked over and got into line behind her.

Heath and Jinder groaned as Wade chuckled and said "Got bloody guts.. But he's about to completely stuff it up."

"And who says?" Heath asked as Jinder chuckled and said "Remember catering the other day? She asked him for a soda, he handed her a potato chip bag."

"So he's not that smooth. He'll get there, damn it. The guy doesn't flirt a lot, give him a little credit, buddy." Heath said as Jinder shrugged and the three men watched, waiting.

He got his chance to make some form of a move when he noticed that the bag she'd been carrying that'd burst, which was sitting beside her, lost another article of her clothing, a t shirt, when she moved up a spot in line. He quickly grabbed the t shirt as Sheamus made his way over to Wade and Jinder, Heath and muttered, "Wot the 'ell is he doing?"

"Well, I made my move, apparently our favorite grump thinks he can do it better." Wade said casually as Sheamus groaned, palming his face and muttering, "But 'e handed 'er a potato chip bag in catering when the lass asked for a soda because he was too busy lookin at 'er arse like an idiot. Besides, ah told te arse earlier, ah loiked 'er."

Heath and Jinder snickered and muttered quietly, "Poor girl. Feel kinda bad for her between Wade's cocky way of doing this, Drew's being just too mind blown to even try but still tryin and failin miserably when he does it, and Sheamus' poppin up every ten seconds."

"Ah do not pop up e'ery ten damn seconds, arses." Sheamus said as Jinder mocked something he'd done earlier, to bump into Miri casually.

Randy spoke up from behind the group as he said calmly, "And do any of you idiots honestly see HHH letting any of you anywhere near his baby girl? Hell, he trashed my house because we dated."

"Not our fault yeh were being a git about it, rubbing it in dad's face." Sheamus said smugly as Randy laughed and said "Is that what you guys think? Seriously? No.. He did that because I told him that one day, like it or not, she was gonna grow up and love who she chose. It might be a fighter, he might as well accept it."

"Yeh really are a dumb arse." Sheamus muttered as they stood watching Drew, waiting still.

Mirabelle turned and smacked into Drew who stood there, holding out her favorite worn in Black Sabbath t shirt. "Thanks?" she said as she raked her hand through her hair, smiled at him.

"Yah dropped it." Drew said as he offhandedly remarked, "Didn't know yah loiked Black Sabbath?"

Mirabelle nodded and then said "I think I get my music taste from my dad, actually." as she studied him a moment. Okay, first Wade not even ten minutes ago, now him.. What had she started when she publicly announced what she did in catering earlier in the week?

Drew nodded and then pointed out quietly, "It's yah turn, lass." as he nodded to the check in desk, watching as she signed herself in, took her keycard and then stepped away.

Mirabelle busied herself trying to shove all of her stuff back into the messed up bag and finally she muttered, "Fuck it. I'll deal with this stupid crappy bag later. Right now, I wanna rest."

Drew took his keycard and then smirked in Wade's direction as he picked up his bag, then the one of hers that was still sitting beside her and asked, "Want ta take te same lift up?"

"Sure." Mirabelle said as she wondered yet again what was getting into Wade, Sheamus and Drew lately.. Then there was the strange way Ambrose kept watching her. She put that off to his just trying to freak her out though, with that guy, there wasn't any telling what was going on in his head at any given moment.

They'd gotten onto the elevator and the door was just about to close when Wade and Sheamus stepped on, Drew glaring at the two men as they smirked back.

Mirabelle read a text she'd gotten from Layla and laughed to herself as she texted back, explaining the odd night she was having so far before putting up her phone.

As soon as she was in her room, she kicked off her shoes, flopped onto the bed carefully and turned on the tv. She wasn't going to sit around and wonder what was going on with some of the guys on the roster lately, she'd been raised around professional wrestling, she knew the guys got a little loopy sometimes, so it was probably just something between them they were working on.. Or something.


	5. learning to stand on her own two feet

She sat up, stretching as the sunrise of another day hit her.. Literally right in the eyes. Groaning, she bit her full lower lip and felt around for the tanktop she'd shed during the night, before standing, muttering sleepily, "That is the absolute last night I leave the curtains open to let a damn breeze in. Ever. The sun here is too damn bright." before sauntering into the small 'eating space' in the other half of the suite of rooms, sitting down at a mahogany table, long legs reclined on the surface. She raked her hand slowly through her sleep mussed hair and yawned.

"Gotta get me one of those beds for the loft though. That is a must have." she murmured as she unlocked the screen on her phone, laughing over a text Layla sent to her of their little 'outing' the night before, Mirabelle hadn't went along, because of course, she'd been too damn sleepy. Pregnancy did that to a girl, apparently.

Today though, she felt energetic. Maybe she could jog on the beach for a little while or something. The phone in her room ringing had her raising a brow, and when she picked up the phone, she laughed as she said "Okay, Kay and Lay.. One at a time, please."

"Girl.. Last night.. You completely freaking missed it. It was a regular bar room brawl."

"And this is different than any other night, how?" Mirabelle asked as she read over her Twitter timeline, eating a handful of Lucky Charms cereal, or the marshmellows from it, rather. A tweet sent out from Drew to Wade had her raising a brow.

She snorted in laughter and then said "Those three are STILL at one another's throats? Lemme guess. Wade and Drew fought."

"Hell no. Wade and Fandango." Layla said as Kaitlyn said "Yeah. Apparently, Fandango was being a dick last night, he said something about someone the three of 'em are fighting over and BAM... Wade laid him out right there in the middle of the bar. Took Miz and Titus to drag him out."

"Lemme guess.. It was over a Bella."

"Nope. We're not sure who, actually, because the three of them are being really secretive, at least with everyone else. It's like they're competing for something though." Layla said as Kaitlyn took the phone and said "Personally? I think that the little crush you had on McIntyre back in the day? Well... I think he's got one on you now. Doesn't help that Wade sort of maybe told Cody Rhodes that he likes you, or at least he thinks he does."

Mirabelle groaned, rubbing her hand over her face, shaking her head. "My dad hasn't heard any of this, has he?"

"No."

"Let's keep it that way. The last thing I want is a repeat of what happened to Randy when we were dating and it came out. I love my daddy and all, but damn, he's overprotective."

"This is true.. So.. We're really calling to tell you get your lazy bum out of that big bed, come down here with us to eat breakfast. We can finish talking about what happened to us last night. I wish you'd have at least come out with us, you didn't have to drink or anything.."

"Guys, I love you, really I do, but don't.. Please? I'm just.. I'm not really ready, I don't think.. Not after all that Ty's done to me. I need time. Plus this baby is draining my energy. I love my little boo bug, but he or she loves to keep mommy tired. Or hugging the toilet bowl." Mirabelle said as she hung up with her friends and slid on a pair of her favorite and currently most comfortable jersey knit workout shorts and an old t shirt and hoodie, they kept the ac too damn high in this hotel for some unknown reason, then slid her feet into a pair of Uggs.

"Do I look like shit? Probably.. Do I give a shit? Not really." she muttered to herself as she passed by the mirror, not even bothering to stop and give herself a once over. She checked her hoodie pocket for her keycard and punched the down button on the elevator, waiting on it to open and let her on.

A tap to her shoulder had her turning around and she gave a slight smile when she saw Seth, another of her boyfriends turned friends, standing there, looking at her.

"Mir?"

"Seth? This is a new record for you.. Out of bed before 12."

"And you too. Are you okay? I mean I heard.." he asked, raking his hand through his two toned hair as he looked at her in concern.

Mirabelle gave a shrug and then said "Not gonna sit around and cry over it. It hurts like hell, yes, but no sense in grief or anything. Bridge burned, lesson learned." as she stepped into the elevator and then asked, "How about you? Enjoying being on the main roster?"

"Yeah."

"You made it. I told you that you were."

He nodded, the two of them fell silent.. There was this awkwardness there, because they'd both realized what a mistake they made when they tried to date. They'd never really gotten past the awkward phase, so they hardly talked as a result.

But knowing he was nice enough to ask her if she were okay sort of made her feel like they could be friends again. Beyond that, she felt nothing awakening for him, personally.

Right now, she really didn't know what she felt for anyone, or about anything, really. All she did know was that whatever she wound up doing, she had to think from now on, she couldn't be the carefree girl she'd been a few years ago when she was around everyone regularly.. She was about to be a single mother, her actions would inevitably affect her kid.

So no wild and crazy nights. Not that she really missed them, personally, but she knew now that they were not an option.

The elevator, thankfully slid open and she stepped off, giving a polite goodbye nod as she walked into the hotel's dining area, found the table Layla, Kaitlyn and Natalya were all sitting at, whispering. She flopped down into the booth and then said, "So.. How'd your night go?"

"Actually, didnt' go too badly. Got the phone number of this really hot bartender." Layla bragged as Natalya muttered, "Our night could have been better, but nooooo.. Tyson had to lose the hotel room key."

Mirabelle snickered and then said "Wow."

Kaitlyn spoke up and then said "Mine actually.. Mirabelle? You dated Seth.. Right?"

"For a little while, yes, why?"

"Because I.. We talked last night and he kind of asked me to go see this movie with him.. I won't go if you don't want me to." Kaitlyn said as Mirabelle shrugged and then said quietly, "Go ahead. I've told you guys, I'm not looking for anyone right now.. Not after what I went through with Ty."

"What did you go through with him?" the girls asked as Mirabelle sighed and said quietly, "I'd really rather not talk about it, please? Not now anyway. I'm trying to stay positive.. Granted it's not really working, but I'm really trying."

They all exchanged looks and then the food came, they dug in, eating and talking, catching up on everything that'd happened since they all lost touch. Mirabelle sat listening to her friends talking about how happy they were and things they were doing and secretly, she couldn't help but feel like she was on the outside, sort of looking in.

She sighed to herself and ate her food, contemplating what she'd went through with Tyson, all her past mistakes in the romance department. The thing of it was, all of them could have been avoided if she hadn't let herself fall in love so damn easily.

"You alright?"

"Huh?"

"You're zoned out over there, Mira."

"I'm good. Just thinking, guys. Just thinking, that's all." she said as she smiled and did her best to convince them and herself that she was indeed fine.

She really wasn't. She was getting sick of opening up, getting hurt or realizing that what she thought she wanted wasn't what she really wanted. And right now, she was always afraid she was going to somehow mess up her kids life.

Then there was the unspoken fear that she might die while giving birth. That was something she told nobody about, but the closer it got to time for her to have the baby, the worse she suspected that fear would get.

She just needed time. She needed to find something to do to keep her mind from driving her insane with all the what ifs and worst case scenarios she seemed to like torturing herself with regularly.

Horomones, apparently, were not going to be kind to her, while she was pregnant.

When they'd all finished eating, the girls had to go to the gym to work out, so Mirabelle walked across the road to the beach, slid in her earphones, and jogged for a little while, mostly just thinking.

By the end of her run, she'd decided. If she were going to be on the road with her father and her adoptive mother, she might as well find something useful to do with her time.. She texted her grandfather and asked if he needed any of the positions filled backstage and warily, he told her he did.

When she asked which one, he responded with, "Can you do hair and makeup? I know you design costumes, you've done all of yours.. If you can do those three things, with the approval of your doctor, Mirabelle Mariah, then you can help out with the show. But if this gets to be too much, I'm going to make sure your dad puts you on bedrest."

She groaned as she read the text then smiled to herself. Okay, so it wasn't much, but it was a start, right?

She finally felt a little less like the rug was being pulled from beneath her feet and more like she could do this, on her own, and make it work out well. Maybe this job was the start of everything finally falling into place.. And now, she'd have less time to torture herself with negativity, which she seemed to be getting really, really good at lately, thanks to horomones.

She headed back to her hotel room, showered and got ready. If she were going to do hair and makeup, design wardrobe for the show, she'd have to go to the arena like everyone else was tonight.

And she felt herself getting excited.


	6. from the creepy to the cocky

"Ughh, it'd have to be him I'd have to fit first, wouldn't it?" Mirabelle grumbled as she sat waiting on the door to open backstage. She had fittings today, for the new ring gear,and first up on the list?

Fandango.

To say she didn't like the guy? It'd be an understatement. Fandango reminded her of her ex, Tyson, only maybe a little stranger, a little creepier. And he freaked her out lately, because if she even turned around, there he was, leering at her, those glazed over eyes of his roaming over her body.

The door opened and he stepped in, looking at her.

"Hi."

"Hey?"

"You're in for a real treat, you know."

"Oh really?" Mirabelle said as she tried not to double over and laugh until she died before straightening and saying casually, "You don't hold back at all now do ya?"

"Not when I want something." Fandango said with a cool smirk as he eyed her body. Mirabelle could feel the gaze and she shivered, a chill creeping over her body. Of course, Fandango being the egotistical man he was, he thought she was shivering in a good way.

He leaned in and then said with a wink, "I heard you were a dancer also?"

"You could say that." Mirabelle said with a smirk as she added casually, in a sweet tone to mask the sarcasm in her next statement, "I'm nowhere near the calibur you are, however."

"You like that, huh? My dancing? I bet you'd love to come out with me. I know my fans would love it."

She turned her back quickly to keep from throwing up all over the guy, rolled her eyes as she mouthed to herself, "I see what my mom meant about this guy."

She knelt to measure him and he looked down at her, smiled. "I'm going to talk to your grandfather about you accompanying me to the ring. Just so you're not surprised.. Thank me later, or now if you want to."

Mirabelle gaped at him and then started to laugh, almost doubling over as she said "Can you not tell jokes while I'm holding a measuring tape, maybe?"

He glared at her, not amused. "You'll grow to love me."

"Or I'll wind up punching you in the face, but hey.. We don't know yet, now do we?" Mirabelle shot back, smirking at him, her hand in her hair, her head tilted slightly to the right to look up at him, let him see just how serious she was about not being even the tiniest bit interested in him.

She'd just finished measuring him and she laughed as she muttered, "Yeah.. That guy needs a push alright, grandpa.. Right in front of a double decker bus." while biting her full lower lip. The door opening behind her and the familiar British accent had her smirking as she turned around.

Wade looked around the tiny office almost full to bursting with fabric scraps, sketches on the walls, postcards from literally everywhere in the world and he smirked as he said "You didn see the best part o' the UK."

"Really?"

He smirked as he looked at her, paused a minute before winking and saying, "You didn't see where I came from."

"Ahh." Mirabelle said as she added, "We're going back there with the show, right?"

"Probably."

"So show me then." she said as she positioned him in front of her, got to work measuring him. She blinked as he slid off the gray shirt he was wearing and said with a casual smile, "Bloody cape never fits just so when it's measured for if I'm wearing a t shirt, doll."

"Hmm. I see." Mirabelle muttered, trying to ignore the slight pop of electricity in the air between them. She reminded herself that for one thing, her father told her no fighters, ever, even though she'd broken that rule at least 4 times already..

Then she reminded herself that he was probably just flirting with her to get under her skin. In a lot of ways, Wade reminded her of her father. Maybe that's why she felt at ease around the guy, felt like flirting back, even if she knew deep down, considering her current situation, it'd never actually go anywhere between them.

He shrugged and then looked at her. He noticed she looked pale. "Are you alright, doll?"

"I'm fine, Barrett." Mirabelle muttered as she groaned. Seriously? She was going to get sick now? She couldn't just wait? Maybe until later in the night after she'd done what she had to do?

She dropped the measuring tape, put her hand over her mouth and bolted to the bathroom. What she didn't realize was that Wade was behind her, he'd been concerned, for reasons above and beyond him, really.

He walked calmly into the womens bathroom as if he belonged there and found the stall she was in after explaining to Layla and a returning Eve, "Don't give me that bloody look. I'm in here for a perfectly good reason, girls." and opening the door as he chuckled and said "You're fine my arse." as he grabbed hold of her hair, held it out of the way, not even really sure why in the hell he was doing it, exactly.

He grimaced as he looked away then called out the door, "One of you girls get me a towel or.." as Layla and Eve looked at each other, then at him and Eve whispered, "Do we trust him with our girl or..."

"What are the lot ' you bloody looking at. Move." Wade said in a commanding voice as Eve jumped a little, handed him a handful of paper towels and said "You don't have to snap."

"Do when the two o' you were just standing round, bloody whispering." he said calmly as he handed the towels to Mirabelle, then stood, going to the sink, wetting a few more. He walked back to the stall, held the cold paper towels to the back of her neck. "Better now, doll?" he asked as Mirabelle looked at him warily, brow raised, and finally made herself say, "I, err, yeah. I'm good now. Tank's empty again. Thanks for that."

He shrugged casually and helped her up then asked in concern on their way back down the hallway, "That happen often?"

"Only every day, Wade.. It's called morning sickness."

"Oh..." he muttered, going silent as he added moments later, "If it gets worse. Go down to the medic, lie down."

"And now you sound like my dad and my uncles and the girls." Mirabelle said as she gave him a reassuring smirk then finished measuring him. He walked out, she stood there with her hand in her hair, looking at the open doorway as Eve and Layla, Kaitlyn stepped in, clearing their throats.

"So.. Barrett seems to be into you."

"Maybe he was just worried or something? I don't know.."

The giggling of her friends had her looking at them and muttering, "No cute ideas."

"What? We're doing nothing.." Layla said with a mysterious shrug as she and Eve and Kaitlyn left to go get ready for their matches that night.

"We have got to throw those two together again. Just to prove a theory I have."

"Agreed."

"Completely and totally agreed." Eve muttered as she said "Have you EVER seen the guy get like that? Over anyone?"

"Nope."

"It was kind of cute." Kaitlyn mused as she smiled about what her friends had told her earlier about what Wade had done. Mirabelle needed that. Now how to get her to see this, stop being so damn stubborn.


	7. fandango gets barraged

Fandango sat watching her as Wade stood leaned against a wall, fist raised. The temptation to just hit the stupid guy was there, and if someone hadn't walked up, started to talk to him, he'd have probably done it. He was furious right now, he'd heard about Fandango's little 'conversation' with Mr. McMahon and it pissed him off.

For one thing, Wade had already made things quite clear in the locker room, at least where Mirabelle was concerned. Everyone knew better than to even toy with the idea of going after her or wooing her, he'd made damn sure of that himself in the past few matches he'd been in.

Every one of the guys he'd taken on had attempted to start something with the quiet and leggy blonde. And he'd beaten them all, which had actually landed him his IC Belt back. So he, of course, took this as a sign from above. And it only made him more intent on pursuing her, himself.

With or without dad's approval.

As soon as the person who'd walked over, talked to him was gone, he went back to focusing intently on an unsuspecting Fandango.

As soon as Fandango was aware there was a camera, and he started to say his name again, Wade ran over, punching him in the side of the head, knocking him on the ground.

"Getting more than a little sick of you, moron." he grumbled as he kicked at the man before walking off, smirking to himself.

Down the hallway, Vince McMahon repeated, verbatim, what their new hire, Fandango, had had the nerve to walk into his office, of all offices, and demand.

HHH glared and clenched his fists and then swore, as he grumbled, "I'll smear that pathetic little..."

Stephanie tugged on her husbands arm and reminded him, "We know our daughter, Hunter.. Do you really think she'd do that? She hates the guy. You haven't seen how she interacts with him. I, however, have. It's actually pretty funny."

"That little.. He's been messing with her?"

"Not really, just flirting, and like she's been doing with all of the guys who've been trying, she's shot him down every time."

HHH quirked his brow.. Considering his oldest child's fascination with dating fighters or other guys, or just plain bad guys, this struck him as a little odd. But he wasn't overly concerned, because the way he looked at it, maybe she was finally growing out of the fascination.

Stephanie also thought this odd, but kept it to herself. She'd talk to Mirabelle later. Maybe she was reading too much into things, but she was starting to think that Mirabelle was giving up completely.

If that was so, then it was sad, really.

The chants of "Fight" and "Oh Shit" from the hallway had them all going to the door, just in time to catch Wade Barrett, trashing the hallway with Fandango's head.

Wade had been content to walk off, let that punch say everything he intended to, but of course, Fandango being the little drama queen he was known for being, he'd chased him and hit him while his back was turned.

Nothing pissed off the bare knuckle brawler more than this very thing.

Now they were having a regular brawl backstage, the cameras catching everything.

The sounds of a fight outside the door had Mirabelle poking her head out, groaning when she saw who was fighting. "Oh this is not gonna go well." she muttered as she bit her lower lip, wincing when a catering tray met with Wade's lower back.

Stephanie happened to see the wince, smiled to herself as she looked at Wade.. In a lot of ways, he reminded Stephanie of Mirabelle's dad, how he'd been when they first met.

She couldn't see this going over with her husband very well, however, despite the similarities. And Wade, well.. He wasn't known for backing down.

So this was either about to get very interesting, or someone would have to give when it came out.. She walked towards her adopted daughter and asked casually, "Want to explain to me your interest in the fight?"

"Mom? I have no freaking clue, really. Personally, I'm just enjoying watching Fandango get his ass kicked all over the backstage."

"But I saw you wince when Fandango hit Wade.. Something going on?" Stephanie asked her adopted daughter in concern.

Mirabelle sighed and said quietly, "No, mom. I told you all, I'm done. Completely and totally done. Just sick of getting my heart broken.. I winced because Wade's a friend. I was worried. I mean he just came back from that injury and..."

"I think there was something else, but you have to figure that out on your own.. He's a lot like dad."

"He is." Mirabelle admitted, smiling a little as she groaned when she watched a few of the guys dragging Wade in one direction, and Fandango in a totally different one.

On his way past, Wade gave Mirabelle a cocky grin and wave as if he'd done nothing wrong. She smiled a little and then turned to her mother and asked, "What?"

"Oh nothing.." Stephanie said as she asked, "So.. Are you going to go and get some food with your father and I on the way back to the hotel?"

"Mhmm."

"Good. It's not good for you to be spending all this time by yourself.. If there's anything you want to talk about, Mom's here.."

"I know, mom. And I will.. I just can't right now. But I will, I promise."

"Good. I'm holding you to that." Stephanie said as she walked back down the hallway, looking for her husband.. On her way, she found one of the guys and asked casually what started the fight.

"Well.. He can say it was because Fandango was annoying him, Steph, but trust me.. It's because he's into Mir, and Fandango keeps popping up around her, creeping her out. He's getting sick of it. It was completely personal for him. First time I've ever seen the bastard get involved with something that didn't serve some other purpose for him." Brad Maddox said as Stephanie nodded and said with a smirk, "Interesting.. So... You're the GM now.. Are you making this match happen?"

"Only if I can keep your daughter out of the whole feud." Brad said as he looked at her then added quickly, "I mean because she's my friend, she's been through enough, really."

"Smart answer."

"Thinking of having the match happen on Monday." he called out as he walked into his office space, flopped into a chair.. Personally? He didn't blame Wade for doing what he'd done. He'd known Mirabelle for a few years now, and he considered her like a little sister or something, so he'd been tempted to do something with his position of power now to stick it to Fandango, make him leave Mirabelle alone.

Because he'd sort of figured out that maybe there was more to Tyson's mistreating her than she was really even telling anyone.

Everyone that knew her thought so, actually.. Why else would she come back so unlike herself in so many different ways?

Down the hallway, Mirabelle walked into the medics office where Wade was and sat down on the cot next to him.

"What the hell happened out there?"

"He took the piss out of me so I punched him."

"Oh."

"There are other reasons, Mirabelle, but you're not ready to hear them. When you are, I'll tell you, doll." Wade said as he looked at her and asked with a cocky smirk, "Why? Were you a little worried 'bout me?"

Mirabelle held up her fingers, indicating that she had been maybe just a little concerned, adding quickly, "But I knew you had it under control.. Damn it, your lips busted."

Wade shrugged casually and said quietly, "Just a little bit o blood. Nothing serious, doll."

"Nothing serious? Nothing serious? Wade.. It's dripping down your damn chin."

"Ahh, she does care." he joked as Mirabelle gave him a dirty look and found a damp rag, cleaned the blood off his chin, then looked at him a moment..

Was there more to her being drawn to him than his simply reminding her of her dad?

She bit her lip and then said quietly, "I'm gonna.. I'm gonna go now.. I still have to fit Thwagger."

Wade burst into laughter and then winking said "Maybe I'll see you round later?"

"Maybe." she muttered as she stared at him a moment.


	8. busted

The leggy blonde stretched as she sat in the floor of the hotel gym. A little exercise wouldn't kill her. And besides, everyone was driving her nuts lately, they were trying to stop her from doing everything. Just because earlier in the week, she'd gotten dizzy and fainted.

"Alone at last." she muttered quietly as she sipped the bottle of water, lifting her long leg so that it was almost touching the back of her head, extended behind her. The music from her Iphone played at a reasonable volume and she went from the position she'd been doing, to a backbend, effortlessly and gracefully.

Even if she didn't go back to professional ballroom dancing when she had her baby boy, she was going to open up a small boutique/spa/dance studio type thing. So she had to stay in shape so that she could teach people how to do what she'd spent so much time doing.

In the doorway, Wade Barrett stood watching, arms crossed over his chest as he shook his head, smirking.. Barely an hour ago, he'd heard both Orton and Cena lecturing her about taking it easy. And he personally agreed. She couldn't sit still, and to see her dancing..

While it captivated him completely in more ways than one.. He knew that as tiny as the slip of a girl was, it had to be exhausting on her end. He thought back to the brief panic he'd actually felt, though he'd die before admitting it, when she fainted earlier this week.

He'd been the one who'd caught her, carried her down to the medic. So, yes, he knew exactly how her small and curvy body felt in his arms. And he wasn't soon about to forget it, either. He growled at himself for naturally going 'there', and then cleared his throat, stopping Mariah Carey in mid sentence on her Iphone as he put his hands on her upper arms, stopping her from moving.

"And just what in the name o Christ do you think your doing?" he asked as he looked at her in concern. She groaned and bit her lower lip as she said quietly, "I was just gonna dance for a few minutes. Nothing major. I wanna keep myself limber.. I do have to be limber to give birth. Besides.. I couldn't sleep." she muttered as she got lost in his eyes, noticed he hadn't moved his hands from her arms.

"Can you be still for 5 bloody seconds, doll, or is that asking too much?" Wade asked as his hand moved from her arm, to her bangs, brushing them back out of her eyes as he hid an amused smirk.

"The doctor said that I could still do light workouts, for your information, Wade.. But thanks for the concern." Mirabelle said as she held his gaze, biting her lower lip. The air around them seemed to almost pop with an electric tension. She noticed she seemed to be moving closer to him too. And she couldn't stop herself.

"The doctor's probably an idiot." Wade murmured darkly as he held her gaze, feeling the effects of her brushing against him like electroshock all over his body when it happened.

They both stifled a laugh when the Iphone changed songs, started to play again, playing some oldies song, a Marvin Gaye song.

"And now my Iphone is seducing me, apparently." Mirabelle joked to ease the tension a little. It wasn't a bad tension... It was just getting unbearably hot in the room or something suddenly. And no matter what she did, she couldn't tear her eyes off of his.

He bit his lower lip a moment, in thought as he suggested casually, "You want a light workout, do you?" smirking a little as he pulled her completely against him as he finished, "Show me how to move." in a much quieter tone of voice.

Mirabelle licked her lips, studied him a moment. The song in the background was doing nothing but laying the atmosphere almost, and before she realized what she was doing, she'd nodded and was walking towards the Iphone slowly, on autopilot at this point. She restarted the song and then motioned him forward, looking up as she said with a teasing smirk, "Step on my toes, Barrett.. Your barrage won't be anything compared to my temper."

He shrugged mysteriously then said with a calm smirk, "Just might surprise you." as he held out his hands expectantly. When she did, he quickly twisted her so that her back was pressed against his chest as he muttered, "Surprised yet?" before dipping her down, smirking as he bought her back up.

"Where the hell did you learn that?" Mirabelle asked as she sputtered to speak, mostly from shock at his actually being able to slow dance a little.

He smirked, shrugged as he muttered, "Might of picked up a thing or two in college. Trying to impress this one girl."

"Oh, I see.. Well, remind me to thank her.." Mirabelle muttered as she looked up at him then smirking said "Okay, since you know a little bit.. Show me."

"You really want me to do that?" Wade asked, studying her intently, his eyes moving slowly over her body before meeting her eyes again as he moved closer to her. Mirabelle nodded and then managed to say quietly, "I mean, unless you're bluffing."

"Trust me, Mirabelle. I'm not bluffing." he said as he slid the door to the hotel's fitness area shut and walked towards her, smirking a little.

"I warn you, doll.. I only know how to slow dance." he mumbled as he pulled her against him again, slid his hands downward, stopping at her hips as he started to move in time to the music, dipping her as he had before. As he bought her back up, she stared at him, her heart racing, biting her lip.

The tension was growing and the heat mentioned before in the room? Almost twice as hot now. She almost couldn't think and she was trying so very hard to keep her defenses up..

By now, his lips were almost close enough to brush hers against if she were brave enough, which she wasn't, and the song had changed from Marvin Gaye to Usher -nice & slow- as the door burst open, Layla and Eve gaping at the two of them, who were so lost in whatever was going on that they hadn't even bothered to look up, acknowledge her two friends standing in the doorway.

"Oh hot damn.. We need to get those two a hose." Eve muttered as she watched then texted Kaitlyn, telling her what they'd just burst in on, snapping a few pictures before the two in the room seemed to notice they were there.

Layla giggled a little bit and cleared her throat, stepping in.

As soon as she did that, Wade grumbled, swearing under his breath as he muttered, "Seriously? I'm this bloody close and they burst in now?" rubbing his hands through his sweat dampened dark hair as he cleared his throat and watched Mirabelle not only turn blood red all over, but stumble for words to describe what had almost happened just now.

When she couldn't get it out, he spoke up and explained, "It is what it looked like.. For me." as he shrugged casually, winked at Mirabelle casually and studied her two friends before asking calmly, "We're not going to have to worry about HHH finding out.. Right ladies?"

The two women looked from one to the other and then shook their heads in shock as he smirked and said calmly, "Good. Not that I'm concerned about him.. I just don't think Mirabelle even realized what I'm up to." before turning to Mirabelle, studying her a moment, smiling the normal cocky grin as he asked casually, "Going to go for a jog now.. Or a shower. We can talk later." before walking out of the room.

Once in the hallway, he scowled and swore, kicking a garbage can. "her friends, the entire lot of them have the worst bloody timing in blue heaven." he grumbled in frustration.. So he hadn't been able to TELL her how he felt.. But he'd been on the damn verge of showing her, those two all but kicked in the bloody door to talk to her.

"Did we interrupt something?" Eve asked as she and Layla, and now Kaitlyn looked at Mirabelle intently.

"I have no clue." Mirabelle muttered as she raked her hand through her hair, looking at the door he'd walked out of moments ago intently. Had he been trying to tell her something just now? Or show her?

She couldn't help but feel a little confused.


	9. staking his claim

He limped up the ramp after the ladder match, exhausted but only partially satisfied. So he hadn't gotten the briefcase. He'd damn sure hung it in there, stuck it to some guys he'd been dying to stick it to for a while now, and he'd gotten rid of some of the 'energy' that'd surfaced after his little 'dance lesson' with Mirabelle in the hotel's gym earlier in the day.

Hell, a cold shower hadn't helped him, a preshow almost brawl with Fandango hadn't either, and he'd had to do something to get rid of all of that excess energy, so he'd went out to the ring tonight, one goal in mind.. Take someone's head off their shoulders. And he'd done that. He'd taken damn near all of their heads off, even if he hadn't won.

Now he was stiff, sore and tired. He emerged into the backstage area to find her standing nearby, pacing as she bit her fingernails, muttered to herself as if she were trying to give herself a pep talk. He cleared his throat and asked in amusement, "Interrupting something, doll?"

Her head shot up and she looked at him a moment, then walked over, assessing the 'damage' done to him during the ladder match with a raised brow, shaking her head as she did so. She grabbed his hand, lead him back to her 'backstage workspace' and shut the door firmly behind them, shutting the blinds. Then she started pacing again. While she did this, he slipped his hand over the door's knob, locking it from the inside as he smirked a little, started to move slowly towards her, his hands resting firmly on her arms just to get her to stop pacing.

"Are you alright, doll?"

"Fine, Barrett.. Just great.."

"Sure you are." he mused as he leaned down, brushed some hair out of her eyes, smirked as he said "Much better." and then said quietly, "Is there some bloody reason you dragged me in 'ere, or?"

"There is, actually, but now that I'm thinking about it, it's probably not a really good and intelligent nor safe idea." Mirabelle muttered as she looked up, her eyes meeting his, holding his gaze as she bit her lower lip. He leaned in even closer, his finger trailed across the half heart shaped lower lip as he chuckled and said quietly, "Earlier.. Got me right wound up.."

"And that's my fault how?" she squeaked as she looked at him, tried desperately to remind herself all the million reasons why what she wanted to do right now, was not a good idea.

"Didn't say it was, doll. Just telling you." Wade said quietly as he leaned in just a little closer and slid his hand slowly down her side, placing it on the small of her back, pulling her closer to him.

"W-what in hell are you doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing?" Wade asked, chuckling as he leaned in, his free hand found her hair, tangled in it, and his lips crashed against hers. He was still on a huge adrenaline rush, wasn't thinking it through, but at the moment, he didn't much care. She jumped back a little, looking at him with wide and shocked eyes as she said quietly, " Yeah.. I figured that wouldn't help either." and raked her hands through her hair, looking at him, trying to process what he'd just done. And the fact that she'd kissed back as if it were a reflex almost.

"That asshole busted your lip." she muttered as she looked at his 'battle scars' again, bit her lip, concerned. He shrugged casually and flashed his cocky smile as he said "That's what makes it fun, doll. Gets you angry and then you fight back."

"Oh really."

"Really. What'd you mean that wouldn't help either?" Wade asked, staring at her in curiousity, his eyes locked on hers, waiting on an answer.

"Kissing you.. Like you said.. Earlier.. It didn't just wind you up.. But in my defense, it was horomones.. I mean I think it was."

"You either know it was, or you don't, doll." Wade said quietly as he smirked at her, his hand on her hip still, his thumb moving in slow circles over her skin just beneath the hem of her t shirt.

"Okay.. Maybe it wasn't.. But there are a million good reasons that this cannot happen. I cannot go through it all again, get hurt again.. Christ, I'm messing up my baby's life, it's not even born yet." she muttered in anger and frustration with herself and her damn loopy horomones as she paced a little in front of him.

He put his hands on her shoulders, gently guided her down onto the couch, sat down and pulled her into his lap, smirking at her as he asked, "Such as?"

"Well, there's the fact that you're not exactly known for being a one woman guy... And then there's my rather impressive list of failures.. And my father, he'd kill us both, most likely, and... I just.. I cannot get hurt again. It hurts too damn much.. And my kid.. I can't be that mom.. The one who drags men in and out of her kids life.. I'm fucking up as a parent already and.." she trailed off as his finger found her lip and he chuckled, muttering quietly, "Shh."

"Don't shush me, Barrett, this is serious. What I feel for you fucking scares me." Mirabelle said as she looked at him, biting her lip, worrying she'd pissed him off when she took a harsh tone, raised her voice, stiffening almost as if she expected a slap or something. Wade noticed this and it started to make sense now.. Why she was so skittish and she looked so afraid all the time. He growled to himself and swearing asked her bluntly, "This ex.. He hurt you, didn't he?"

Her lack of an answer made him growl again, then mutter something she couldn't understand before he made her look at him. " People can change, for one thing, doll." he said calmly as he pulled her closer to him on his lap, held her in place then continued, "As for your failures, Mirabelle.. Those bastards weren't really all that bright, apparently.. Load of bloody morons, the lot of them." he said dismissively as he moved his lips closer to hers and added, "As for your father? Let him try.. Not a man who's given to giving up when I want something. HHH does not and he will never scare me. And I won't promise I won't hurt you, doll, I'm a git most of the time, actually.. But as far as your baby, you 'fucking up' as a mother already? You should really give things a chance before you write this off as another breakup waiting to happen, doll." before closing the distance between their lips again, deepening the kiss, his hand resting on her upper thigh as he tangled his other hand in her hair and pulled her lips completely into his.

"Damn it, Barrett, you're not just going to give up, are you?" Mirabelle asked as she looked at him, watched him smirk as he shook his head no and then said aloud, "And just now proved to me that of course, I'm right."

Mirabelle looked at him as she said quietly, "So I'm not imagining this?"

He shook his head and then said calmly, "Not at all."


	10. the next contestant

Miri groaned as she watched the two of them squaring off in the hallway. This particular situation had been brewing all week, really, but tonight, Fandango, well, he'd really pushed it too far. And Wade, of course, having the hair trigger temper he had, well, he was right now showing Fandango why exactly it wasn't a good idea to mess with Miri.

"Is there a reason you're lurking in the doorway, biting your nails?" Stephanie asked her adopted daughter as she looked at her with a 'tell me all of it, now' look. Miri muttered something and bit her lip, pacing, watching the fight. Stephanie shut the door to the makeup room firmly and then asked, "I'm going to repeat my question, Mirabelle.. Is there a reason you're lurking in the doorway, biting your nails.. You know how your father is about you, about your history with dating one of the guys."

"Mom.."

"Spill it, Mira."

"Yes ma'am." Mirabelle said as she sat down and said quietly, almost in shock, "Don't know how he did it mom, but Wade, he.. He made me fall for him.. He's not like the other guys I dated, I mean he's practically bent over backwards trying to take care of me, if I'd just let him. I didn't ask him to, either."

Stephanie smiled to herself.. She'd noticed this on her own already, of course, but she was more or less just having it confirmed by her adopted oldest daughter, Mirabelle, now. "Well? What do you feel for him?"

"Mom, I... I wanna say I love him but I'm afraid.. What if it's like all the other times in the past, all my mistakes and I wind up getting hurt or something. I'm not just thinking for me anymore, mom." Mirabelle muttered quietly as she winced, hearing loud swearing in the hallway, hearing somone, most likely Fandango, getting thrown at a wall near her door.

"Something tells me to tell you to trust your heart and your gut this time, Mirabelle.. Leave your father to me for now. I'll figure out some way to keep them from killing one another when this comes out."

Mirabelle sighed and shaking her head said "No. I'm not gonna hide this from Daddy. I learned my biggest lesson about that, I mean Punk and I hid what we were, how we felt and we wound up falling apart because of that. I don't wanna lose him."

"Hmm. Sounds serious." Stephanie mused, teasing her oldest child about it a little as Mirabelle groaned and said quietly, "That's just it, Mom.. I mean I know his reputation.. And I'm sort of afraid.."

"People change, Mirabelle.. Your father's a huge example of that. I mean before we got together, and after your mom died? He went through more women in a week than he did underwear, I'm willing to bet.. But I had to make the decision when I realized how I felt about him, to either let the 'rumors' get to me and scare me away, or face them head on and give your dad a chance.. I think we both know what helped me make up my mind about him.. If I hadn't taken you to the mall that day, spent the rest of it with him as he spent it with you, I'd never have seen your father in the light I see him all the time now."

"So basically, you're saying if I really love him, I can and will work around the rumors."

"Basically, yes."

"Thanks, Mom. What you just told me, it helped me a lot." Mirabelle pointed out as she hugged her adoptive mother, then said quietly, "The fight's stopped."

The banging against the wall again had Stephanie laughing and Mirabelle groaning as she muttered quietly, "I might of spoken too soon.. Hey Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm gonna try something."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm thinking, that since Wade's obviously not going to give up or give in, or let me give up, I wanna ask him to come to the doctor with me for my next checkup.. He's gotta realize I'm part of a package deal, right?"

"And you're thinking that if he says no, then you'll know he's not serious.. Right?"

"That and if he says yes, but he doesn't look like he's in it for the long haul, then I'll have an answer."

Out in the hallway ,the fighting continued, with Wade battering Fandango's head off of every available surface as he raged at the man about touching what belonged to someone else, especially touching Mirabelle as he had earlier, in anger, because she'd rejected him yet again. He'd seen the red mark around her wrist, he'd watched Fandango do it too.

And he was furious.

"If you go near her again, Fandouchebag, mark my words, mate.. It will result in your bloody end. I will make sure that you take a fall you cannot return from. She is with me, get that through your head."

All of the anger he'd felt when he saw the old bruises on her face and arms when she'd first come to her father to be safe surfaced, so in a sense, Wade was not only fighting Fandango right now, he was also fighting the man who'd hurt Mirabelle before he ever met her.

Fandango was about to hit him with a casserole dish in his hands when he slumped forward and Wade looked up, grumbling and groaning inwardly as he saw Mirabelle standing there, holding a high heel in her hand. "What the ruddy 'ell are you doing out here, doll? I thought I told you, stay in that room, out of the way so you don't go getting hurt."

"Yeah? Well I thought I told you that I protect the people I love, Wade. I wasn't going to come out but I saw him going for your neck, you were going purple in the face, damn it." Mirabelle said as she looked at him in worry, then said quietly, "C'mon." holding out her hand to him.

He stood and they walked down the hallway. Once they were down an empty hallway, she pulled him against a wall, kissed him as she said quietly, "I thought the fight was over.. So I came out to ask you something.."

"Yeah, doll?"

"I have a checkup.. It's tomorrow and my stepmom's going to be too busy to go, my dad well, he cringes if you even mention a tampon or something.. " as she looked at her hands.

Wade leaned in, kissing her forehead as he muttered quietly, "I'll go." and then added, "Let's get out of here. There's 3 whole bloody hours until the show starts, I only come early to see you."

"And where are we going?"

"Hmm.. Maybe back to the hotel? You look tired."

"We can't just leave."

"Oh but we can.. See with the rest of the lot of them being so bloody good at causing chaos, I know we won't be missed." Wade said as he picked her up easily, walked out of the garage, to his rental car with her in his arms.

He sat her down in the passenger seat and smiling, he got in as he said to her casually, "I was actually going to insist I tag along when you went back.. Getting a little too bloody tired of trying to spy on Hunter and Shawn to find out how things went."

"You.. You were eavesdropping?"

"Mhmm.. Have been since I decided I was going to pursue you no matter what you said. I knew going into this that you were a package deal. And at first, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it, but I know that I don't actually mind." Wade said as he drove towards the hotel, his hand finding hers over the console, lacing her fingers between his.

"So.. What are we doing at the hotel?"

"Don't know about you doll, but I'm taking a bloody nap. Just thought it'd be nice to hold you while I did it.. Plus, there's no way I was leaving you there with Fandango still on the prowl." Wade said as he leaned across under the red light they were stopped at, kissed her.

"Do you see now, I'm serious? This isn't a joke?" he asked in curiousity as he looked at her, smirking.

Mirabelle nodded and then said "I still wanna take things slowly." as he nodded and said quietly, "I understand. I won't rush or push you."

They found his hotel room and he pulled her down beside him on top of the covers, his arms going around her, his chin resting on the top of her head. She lie there laughing when of course, he started to snore loudly.


End file.
